Resources
AUDIO INTERVIEWS AND PODCASTS
- Man & Machine: Procedures for Protecting Plants and Refineries
Featured Audio Interview #1 with David Strobhar (9:33 minutes)
Intellirights.com Access Recording - David Strobhar: Breaking Down Human Language
This is a Featured Audio interview with David Strobhar (6 minutes).
Intellirights.com Access Recording - Center for Operator Performance Presentation at NPRA Meeting.
This is a Featured Audio interview with David Strobhar (5:24 minutes).
Intellirights.com Access Recording - Leadership Focus Podcast: Operator Performance
The people who control chemical processes (the operators) must monitor more equipment and have less hands-on experience with the process, making it harder for them to be effective. Traci Purdum, Chemical Processing's senior digital editor, talks with Dave Strobar -- principal human factors engineer for Beville Engineering. Dave is also a guiding light behind the Center for Operator Performance.
ChemicalProcessing.com Access Podcast - Podcast Bytes: Impact of Alarm Rates and Interface Design on Operator Performance
The Center for Operator Performance, Dayton, Ohio, funded recent research into the effects of different alarm rates and interface designs on operator performance. Statistically significant effects were found. In this podcast interview, recorded on April 16, 2010, Managing Editor Wes Iversen discusses the results with David Strobhar, chief human factors engineer at Beville Engineering, Dayton, and a member of the Center.
AutomationWorld.com Access Podcast
Presentations
- DCS Console Operator Issues in Related Industries
2011 TAPPI PEERS Conference, Portland OR, Oct 2-5 2011
Presentation by David A Strobhar, PE
Access Presentation (1.7MB PDF), Paper (20KB PDF) - Modularizing Emergency Procedures for Increased Ease of Use and Updating
NPRA 2011 Annual Meeting, product # AM-11-44
Presentation by David A Strobhar, PE, Sandeep Purao, Ph.D., and Jingwen He
Access Presentation (1.1MB PDF), Paper (602KB PDF) - Service Extraction from Operator Procedures in Process Industries
2011 DESRIST Conference, Purchase PDF - Operator Performance as a Function of Alarm Rate and Interface Design
WBF Make2Profit Conference, Austin, TX, May 24-26, 2010
Presentation by David A Strobhar, PE, Glenn Uhack, and Craig Harvey, Ph.D., PE
Access Presentation (1.7MB PDF), Paper (60KB PDF)
USEFUL LINKS
Journals
- Ergonomics in Design: The Quarterly of Human Factors Applications (EID)
- Human Factors: The Journal of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society
- Journal of Cognitive Engineering and Decision Making (JCEDM)
- Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting
- Reviews of Human Factors and Ergonomics
Member Websites
- ABB
- Beville Engineering, Inc.
- Chevron
- Emerson Process Management
- Flint Hills Resources
- Marathon Petroleum Company LLC
- NOVA Chemicals
- Suncor Energy Inc.
- Wright State Research Institute
- Yokogawa Electric Corporation
Refining & Petrochemical News
- American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (the new NPRA)
- American Petroleum Institute
- Energy Business Review
Researchers
- Applied Research Associates, Cognitive Solutions Division
- Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
- Georgia Tech
- Louisiana State University (LSU)
- Mississippi State University
- Penn State
- The University of Texas
- Wright State University
RECOMMENDED READING LIST
Browse our recommended list of books to learn more about human factors, team performance, decision making, and training.
ARTICLES/COVERAGE OF THE CENTER FOR OPERATOR PERFORMANCE
- Operator Performance Pumps Up
Recap of software tools and proactive procedures to enhance operator performance including the COP'S Semantic Procedure Analyzer (SPA) and Display Metrics Toolkit (DMT)
Author: Jim Montague
Publication: Control Magazine, March 2013, Access: Article Reprint (533KB PDF), Online Article - Changing Workforce Drives Control Room Modernization
Author: Grant Gerke
Publication: Automation World, January 28, 2013, Access: Online Article - LSU Students Study Petro-chemical Operators to Create Scientific Alarm Rates
Author: Eric Camaradale
Publication: LSU College of Engineering News, May 2012, Access: Online Article - The Keys to Operator Performance Operator Error Rates Double on the Ninth Day of Work After Eight Days of Consistent Performance
Recap of several interesting findings from ongoing COP projects with Penn State University, Louisiana State University, and Klein Associates
Author: Aaron Hand
Publication: Control Design, May 2012, Access: Online Article - How to Build a Better Operator Collaborative Research Effort Looks for Keys to Improved Effectiveness
A summary of the Center for Operator Performance presentations at ABB Automation & Power World
Author: Aaron Hand
Publication: Control Design, April 2012, Access: Online Article - How Many Alarms Can an Operator Handle? Two recent studies provide insights
Authors: David A. Strobhar, Beville Engineering, & Craig M. Harvey, Louisiana State University
Publication: Chemical Processing, December 2011, Access: Online Article - Operator Training Gains Ground
Initiatives build on established methods as well as emerging technology
Author: Seán Ottewell
Publication: Chemical Processing, June 2011, Access: Online Article - Collaboration Picks up Speed Industry and academia pull together harder
Author: Seán Ottewell
Publication: Chemical Processing, May 2010, Access: Online Article - Consortium Reports New Findings on Alarm Rates
New research funded by the Center for Operator Performance shows that process operators may perform better at high alarm rates when alarms are grouped by priority, rather than chronologically.
Author: Wes Iverson
Publication: Automation World, May 2010, Access: Online Article - Control Systems, Oh, No...Not Again!
The Process Industries Have Been Faced with a Continuing Series of Refinery, Chemical Plant, Mining and Even Food Plant Disasters. These Continue to Happen with Distressing Regularity. Who's at Fault? It's the Culture, Not the Control Systems.
Author: Walt Boyes
Publication: ControlGlobal.com, April 2010, Access: Online Article - Simple, Strong and Easy-to-Use
User-Centered Design Makes Operators More Aware of Their Processes and Better Able to Respond Fast.
Author: Jim Montague
Publication: ControlGlobal.com, March 2010, Access: Online Article - Build Operator Expertise Faster
Following a few do's and don't can significantly speed learning.
Authors: David A. Strobhar, Beville Engineering, and Danyele Harris-Thompson, Klein Associates
Publication: Chemical Processing, December 2009, Access: Online Article - How Good is Your Operator's Mental Model?
Author: Martin Berutti, December 2009, Access: Mynah Website Article - Succession Planning: Avoid a Dumb Move
Stinting on capturing the expertise of departing employees is a false economy.
Author: Mark Rosenzweig
Publication: Chemical Processing, June 2009, Access: Online Article - Operators Get More Help
Efforts aim to provide insights and tools to boost performance.
Author: Seán Ottewell
Publication: Chemical Processing, January 2009, Access: Online Article - Operator Interfaces Expand Human Factors
Author: C. Kenna Amos
Publication: Automation World, November 2008, Access: Online Article - Call a COP
Need help staffing your operations? Consider the Center for Operator Performance.
Publication: Automation World, October 2008, Access: Online Article - Human Factors: To Compete or Cooperate?
Human factors engineering is a major issue in the process industries—big enough that there are now two separate organizations on the case.
Author: Greg A. Jamieson
Publication: Mechanical Engineering, Web Exclusive 2008 - In Pursuit of Improved Operator Performance
From fighter planes to nuclear power
Publication: ControlGlobal.com, May 2008, Access: Online Article - Operator Performance Takes Center Stage
Industry/university alliance aims to address human factors in process control.
Publication: Chemical Processing, May 2008, Access: Online Article - Improving Human Effectiveness
Publication: Automation World, October 2007, Access: Online Article - Aiming for Operator Excellence
Author: Jerry Laws
Publication: Occupational Health & Safety, June 2007, Access: Online Article